Hammock attachment.



W. W. BRADSHAW.

HAMMOCK ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION IILED IAN. 6. 1914.

Patented July l6, 1915. V

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COLUMBIA PLANcuRAPH Co.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

STA!PHC@ WILLIAM W. BRADSHAW, or :IIAImIivGrLoLL-DELAWARE.l

HAMMocK ATTACHMENT. e.

Speccationof Letters Patent.

` Application inea January 6,1914. seriaiNoLsiol.:

To allfwhom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, WILLIAM ll/V. BRAD- sHAw, citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Harrington, in the county of Kent and State ofDelaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in HammockAttachments, of which the following -is a specification.

may be readily attached to and detached from any standard form ofhammock.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such meansas areillustrated in the accompanying drawings, described `in thefollowingspecification, and then more particularly pointed out in the claimswhich are appended hereto and form a part hereof.

With reference to the drawings, wherein there has been illustrated thepreferredem bodiment of this invention as it is reduced to practice, andthroughout the several views of which similar reference numeralsdesignate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a per spective view. showingthe supporting frame and netting in assembled relation to a hammock;Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating in detail the preferredembodiment of clamp which is employed in holdingthe terminal supports ofthe bridge wire inthe desired position at the ends of the 'hammock; andFig.. 3 is a `detail view illustrating ay modification of the clamp ofFig. 2.

rfaking up the detail 'description of the drawings, and referringparticularly to Fig. 1, in which the invention is best illustrated as anentirety, the numeral 10, designates a f hammock which maybe suitablyysuspended between a pair vof trees kas by ropes 11, or any otherdesired means. As previouslyr set forth, thepresent in'ratentedaiy6,1915.

vention consists essentially in providing a .1,

frame `which mayv be :readily attached to the hammock vfor holding a`mosquito netting above the occupant to shield him from-insects-andthelike. 1n Fig. 1 the` mosquito netting is designated -by the letter-.A.`In -A holding this netting'in the proper position e above thehammock,this invention' employs abridge' wire 12 and' apair ofterminal/supports `13 and 14. The bridge member-12, as

its name indicates, spans the space "between v;

lthe two terminal supporting members 13 and 14.'In its preferredembodiment, the member 12 is formed from twostrands of relativelyheavywire which aretwisted one about the other at .theirlcenterportions,`. as indicatedxat 15 so that they will be heldin the desiredrelation ,toone .anotherlat .all

times. The free termina-ls.16 18`andf19 of the two wires 'forming 'thebridge membei" are directed diagonally'away from the .1

portion 15 for a ,portionv of their length, but

are `bent at their extreme terminals to eXf.

tend in parallel relationto'each other,asyin dicated at 20,21, 22I and23,frespectively.

The members 20, 21, 22 and are-bent to produ ce lterminal eyelets, as at24;. These eyelets are engageable with the receivingy ex tensions v25whichfarev formed onthe'supe porting members `13k andull. These `twomembers 13 and 14' are substantially identi*- i,

` cal in their construction, IAand it is `deemed necessary.. therefore,to describe only one of them in detail, the member 13 beingchos'en inlthis instance. As will be readily observed upon` reference to Fig.1..the member 13 conf sists :of i aninverted ,Ll-shaped. body. portionwhich is formed from asingle length of wire.4 lThe horizontal vorbightmportion of the member 13 is designated by the numeral 26, whilethe arms. lof the U are designated by the numerals27'and 28. At the,iunction ,of the members 27 and `28 .with vthe b ight or horizontalportion 26 areformed the entensions 25 which are produced by merely.bende member 13-is. constructed.l The lowermost portion of the arms 27and 28 ofthe termial supporting member are bent at right angles toproduce the .clamp axles 29. These ingiupon' itself the vwirefromcwhich. the 3 @als member?. 29ers" eah' 'adapted te, rs#

ceive the two jaws of a clamp and extend along the edge of the hammockwhen the clamps are applied in the manner to be here` inafter explained.

Reference will ynow be had to Fig. 2, in which is illustrated thepreferred form of clamp employed in holding the arms 27 and 28 inposition at the terminals of the hammock. This clamp includes twoco-acting jaw members, individually designated by the numerals 30 and31. The member 31 is formed from a single length' of resilient wire, andin its manufacture is first bent in the shape of a U, the arms 32 and 33of this U being then bent as at 34 to extend rearwardly from the bightportion 35. Intermediate their length, these arms are formed with anadditional lateral U, as at 36. The extreme terminal of the arm 32 iswound about the vertical portion of the member 28, as indicated at 37,while the terminal of the arm 33 is wound about the outer terminal ofthe axle 29, as indicated at 3S. The clamp jaw 30 is also formed from asingle length of resilient wire, being bent to produce a bight portion39 and a pair of arms 40 and 41. The bight portion 39 of the clampmember 30 is greater in length than the bight portion 35 of the member31, while the arms 40 and 41 are bent toward each other to lieinteriorly of the arms 32 and 33 when the clamping members are in closedposition. 1t may be well to observe at this point that the bight portion35 of the jaw 31 is bowed inwardly toward the axle 29. The purpose ofthis formation will be later explained. The terminals of the arms 40 and41 are wound about the axle 29, as indicated at 42, producing eyeletswhich are free to rotate on the axle.

It will be seen that by swinging the jaw 30 on its aXis 29, the bightportion 39 may be disposed to lie beneath the bight portion 35 of themember 31 so that it will be lodged in the elbows formed as at 34 in thearms 32 and 33. The purpose obtained in making the bight portion 39 ofgreater' length than the member 35, and in forming the additional U 36will now become apparent, for it will be seen that being4 of greaterlength than the member 35, the member 39 will be limited in its swingingmovement by the arms 32 and 33, and will be held in clamping relation tothe member 35 by engaging in the elbows 34. 1t will also be seen thatthe arms 40 and 4l will be disposed in clamping relation to theadditional U 36 when the two members 30 and 31 are in closed position,as in Fig. 2.l

In applying the clamp to the hammock, it is only necessary to separatethe jaws, disposing the member 31 below the fabric of the hammock, andthe member 30 above the fabric. Upon swinging the member 30 on its axle29, the cloth or fabric of the ham.-

mock will be tightly clamped between the members 39 and 35 and the arms40 and 41 and U members 36.

Relative to the application of the clamp to the hammock, it is desirableto emphasize l the fact that the extreme terminals of the bight portion39 extending as they do beyond the arms 32 and 33 of the clamp 30 formin effect finger' grips which materially facilitate the operation ofapplying or removing the clamp.

In Fig. 3 there is illustrated a modified form of clamp. rl`his modifiedform is similar to the preferred form with but one exception. It isprovided at an approximate center portion of the bight member 35 with anupwardly extending lip or finger member 43. It will be obvious that themember 43 will be of material aid when the operator desires todisconnect the two jaws in removing the clamp from the hammock.

Referring now again to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the two end frames13 and 14 are secured to opposite terminals of the hammock by theapplication of the clamps which are carried by the lower portion. Itthen remains to properly position the bridge wire 12 by applying itsterminal loops 24 to the retaining projections 25. rlhe mosquito nettingA is then draped over the frame, thus formed by the members 12, 13 and14, consequently protecting the occupant of the hammock from insects andthe like.

' lVhile the netting A may be applied to the frame by being merelydraped thereon, as above explained, it has been found preferable in mostinstances to apply it in the manner shown in Fig. 1. In this figure, itwill be observed that the portions 20, 21, 22 and 23 of the member 12are passed through small openings formed adjacent the terminal portionsof the netting, as indicated at 44.

lnasmuch as the member' 12 is constructed of two lengths of resilientwire, it will be seen that the members 20 and 21 and 22 and 23 will, byreason of the resiliency of the wires, be held in engagement with themember 25 without liability of displacement when the hammock is swung inthe well known manner. A further advantage to which particular attentionis directed is that resulting from providing clamping members which areformed with relatively long jaws. By making the jaws relatively long, itis obvious that the end supporting frames 13 and 14 will be securelyheld in the desired vertical relation to the hammock and will not beliable to tilt out of their proper position as they might were theclamps relatively short.

ln reduction to practice, it has been found that the form of thisinvention illustrated in the drawings, and referred to in the abovedescription as the preferred embodiment, is the most efficient andpractical; yetrealizing adoption of this device willnecessarily vary,

it is desirable to emphasize the fact that various minor changes indetails ofconstruction, 4proportion and` arrangement of partsmay be`resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantagesof this invention as defined in the appended claims.

What isclaimed is 3 1.'` In a hammock attachment of the class vfdescribed, a canopy support including standards each provided with anattaching clamp including relatively broad and flat clamping membersarranged for clamping engagement with the marginal portion of theflexible bed of a' hammock.

2. In a hammock attachment of the class described, a canopy supportincluding standards, each provided with an attaching clamp havingrelatively broad clamping members arranged to clamp the marginal portionof the flexible bed of avhammock, and rigid means connecting andlbracing the said standards.

3. In a hammock attachment of the class described, a canopy supportincluding spaced standards, each provided with an attaching clampincluding relatively broad pivotally connected members, the said clampshaving their open sides presented toward each other and being arrangedto clamp opposite marginal portions of the flexible bed of a hammock,and means connecting the upper endsv y of the said standards.

Y 4.. In a hammock attachment of the character described, a bridgemember consisting of two strands of resilientwire twisted one about theother for a portion of their length and having their free terminalsdirected outwardly and angularly with respect to their twisted portionsand then bent to extend in parallel spaced relation, and eyelets formedon the extreme terminals fof the strands, a pair of terminal supportingframesy for the bridge member, projections carried `by the upperterminals of the supporting frame and adapted to receive 4the eyeletsof.

the bridge member, and clamps carried by the supporting frames wherebythey may be detachably secured to the hammock. j.

5. In a hammock attachment of the character described, a bridge memberformed of resilient wire, terminal supporting frames for the bridgemember, each of said supporting frames including a substantiallyU-shaped body member having the lower portions of its arms bent at rightangles forming axles, a pair of clamping jaws secured to each of theaxles, one of said jaws being relatively fixed and the other of saidjaws being mounted for swinging movement,

said clamping jaws being adapted to detachf ably secure the terminalframe members to the hammock. i

6. In a hammock attachment of the charai'bridge'member vcarried by theframesya cover 'adapted to be rdraped-overthefbridge j Amember andsupporting frames,-a pain-Eloi? v, clamping jaws carried by the lower'termif nalsy of' each frame, and yieldable means-infor locking the jawsinjclamping relation. f

"7. In a hammock attachment/of the char'- acter described, a pair ofsupporting iframes, bridge member4 carried by the frames,'a.

cover adapted to be draped over the bridge member and supporting frames,a pairj of clamping jaws carried by the lower terminals of each frame,eaclrclamping member consisting in a substantially U-shaped fixedjaw, asubstantially U-shaped-movable jaw, v

and yieldable means carried by the'fixed jaw and'engageabl'e with themovable jaw for.`

yieldably locking the jaws in clamping relation. f

8. In a hammock attachment of thefcharacter described, a bridgejmember,support- .I

ing frames detachably connected to the terminals of the-bridge member, acover adapted to be draped over the bridge member and supporting frames,and a plurality of clamping lmembers for detachably securing the framesto the flexible body portion of a hammock, each of said clamping membersincluding a fixed aw of substantially U-shaped conformation, the arms ofthe fixed jaw being bent to produce inwardly extending U-shaped' and amovable jaw having its arms j curved to engage intermediate their lengthportions,

with the said inwardly extending U-shaped portions when the jaws are inclamping re-k' lation.

9. In a hammock attachment of the char.-

acter described, a bridge member, supporting frames detachably connectedto the teri minals of the bridge member, a cover adapted to be drapedover the bridge member and supporting frames, and a plurality of clampjing members for detachably securing the framesto the flexiblebodyportion of aham-" ,mock, each of said clamping kmembers including vafixedyj aw of substantially U-shaped ried by the fixed jaw andengageable withthe movable jaw forholding the jaws in clampingrelation..

l0. `In, a hammock attachment of the character described, abridgemember, supporting` frames detachablyfengagedy with the bridgemember, a coveringvdraped over the bridge member and supporting frames,and

va clamp 'carried by each frame fordetachably securing vthe frames tothe flexible Abody portion of a hammock, each of said clampsconformation, the arms of the fixed jaw beincluding a substantiallyU-shaped Xed jaw jaw for yieldably holding the j aws in clampand asubstantially U-shaped movable jaw, ing` relation. y the arms of saidiXed jaw being` bent upon In testimony whereof I affix my si gnaturethemselves to dispose the bight portion of in presence of two witnesses.

' the jaw so that it intersects the arms at a y WILLIAM W. BRADSHAW.[1.. s]

point intermediate their length whereby the Witnesses: bight portion ofthe fixed jaw may be en- S. L. SHAW, gaged over the bight portion of themovable S. B. COOPER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner` of Patents, Washington, D. C.

